The present disclosure generally relates to the field of surgical instruments. More specifically, it describes an instrument for retaining bone plates. A retaining instrument for bone plates is known from the document DE 197 09 182 A1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,721). This retaining instrument allows a surgeon to grasp a bone plate that is to be attached to a bone, and place it at the intended attachment position.
The retaining instrument comprises two sleeves, disposed concentrically to one another, that can be moved in opposition. The inner sleeve has two diametrically opposing tongues that extend radially outward at an angle. The inner diameter of the outer sleeve is only slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner sleeve in the region outside of the splayed tongues. The free end of each tongue is formed as a plate retaining jaw.
Sliding the outer sleeve along the inner sleeve in the direction of the plate retaining jaws causes a relative movement of the two tongues towards one another and therefore of the plate retaining jaws as well. A bone plate disposed between the closing plate retaining jaws is thus clamped by the plate retaining jaws and can be transported to the desired attachment position on the bone using the retaining instrument. In order to release the bone plate after its attachment, the outer sleeve is moved back, away from the retaining jaws, which causes the tongues to spread apart and therefore the plate retaining jaws as well.
The actuating mechanism for the plate retaining jaws described in the document DE 197 09 182 A1 is not without problems in any case. Thus the retaining instrument must be gripped with the first hand, while the second hand actuates the clamping mechanism, that is, displaces the outer sleeve. Handling the retaining instrument known from prior art therefore “occupies” both of the surgeon's hands.
Moreover, it has been found that the sliding movement to release the bone plate occurs very close to the surgical site and therefore cannot always be achieved unhindered. In addition, the surgeon is not always able to reliably grip the outer sleeve and thereby release the bone plate in all surgical scenarios.